How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in Texas
Thinking of becoming a pharmacy technician (pharmacy tech) in Texas (TX)?
There are currently 37,200 persons employed as pharmacy technicians in Texas earning an average annual salary of $34,290.
The Bureau for Labor Studies (BLS) anticipates that employment in the sector will grow by 7% between 2018 and 2028 – higher than the average for all other professions.
The growth is driven by a population that is aging, coupled with growing rates of chronic disease, placing an increased demand for prescription medication.
The majority of states regulate the role of pharmacy technicians either through certification or licensing or both. Find out about the requirements to become a pharmacy technician in Texas below.
Get Started Today:
- Texas Pharmacy Technician Certification Requirements
- Top Pharmacy Tech Schools in Texas
- How much does a Pharmacy Technician make in Texas?
- Texas Employment Outlook for Pharmacy Technicians
Pharmacy Technician Certification Texas
Registering as a Pharmacy Technician in Texas
Before you can work as a pharmacy technician or trainee in Texas you must first register with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy. The registration process can take up to 6 weeks.
National Certification is an important prerequisite to registration. See below for national certification options in the USA.
If you do not yet have the national certification you can register as a Pharmacy Technician Trainee. A trainee registration is only valid for 2 years and cannot be renewed.
Further details about becoming a pharmacy tech in Texas can be obtained from the Texas State Board of Pharmacy. You can contact them on the details below:
Phone: (512) 305-8000
Website: http://www.tsbp.state.tx.us
National Certification Exam Options
There are two national certifying bodies;
- The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB/ PTCE) and
- The National Healthcareer Association Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT).
Some states have a preference for one over the other but most states will recognize the PTCB certification.
Since the beginning of 2020 the PTCB requires that candidates have completed a PTCB recognized training program. The NHA requires that you have completed a training program or have 1 years work experience. Approved training programs for Texas for both the PTCB and NHA are listed here.
The PTCB also requires that you have registered with your state licensing board whilst the NHA has no such requirement.
Accredited Pharmacy Technician Schools in Texas
Top 30 Schools for Pharmacy Tech in Texas for 2023
To obtain National Certification you should complete an approved pharmacy technician training program. In fact, it is a requirement of the PTCB. Below is a list of the top approved pharmacy technician training programs in Texas.
| School | City | Accreditation | Program Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco College | Abilene | ASHP (Advanced) | Visit |
| Amarillo College | Amarillo | ASHP (Advanced) | Visit |
| Trinity Valley Community College | Athens | ASHP | Visit |
| Austin Community College | Austin | ASHP | Visit |
| Altierus Career College | Bissonet | ASHP (Advanced) | Visit |
| Del Mar College | Corpus Christi | ASHP | Visit |
| Remington College | Dallas | ASHP | Visit |
| Richland College | Dallas | ASHP | Visit |
| El Paso Community College | El Paso | ASHP | Visit |
| Pima Medical Institute | El Paso | ASHP (Advanced) / ABHES | Visit |
| The College of Health Care Professions | Fort Worth | ABHES | Visit |
| HCC Coleman College for Health Sciences | Houston | ASHP (Advanced) | Visit |
| San Jacinto College North | Houston | ASHP (Advanced) | Visit |
| San Jacinto College South | Houston | ASHP (Advanced) | Visit |
| The College of Health Care Professions | Houston | ABHES | Visit |
| Pima Medical Institute | Houston | ASHP (Advanced) / ABHES | Visit |
| Health Mart Systems | Irving | ASHP | Visit |
| Angelina College Pharmacy Technology Program | Lufkin | ASHP (Advanced) | Visit |
| The College of Health Care Professions | McAllen | ABHES | Visit |
| South Texas College | McAllen | ASHP | Visit |
| Lone Star College | North Harris | ASHP | Visit |
| Lamar State College | Orange | ASHP | Visit |
| Rio Grande Valley College | Pharr | ASHP / ABHES | Visit |
| Pima Medical Institute | San Antonio | ABHES | Visit |
| The College of Health Care Professions | San Antonio | ABHES | Visit |
| Medical Education and Training Campus (METC) | San Antonio | ASHP | Visit |
| Northwest Vista College | San Antonio | ASHP | Visit |
| College of the Mainland | Texas City | ASHP | Visit |
| Lone Star College | Tomball | ASHP (Advanced) | Visit |
| Vernon College | Wichita Falls | ASHP | Visit |
Pharmacy technician programs are accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists/Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ASHP/ACPE) and also by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).
The only school to have been removed from the accredited list in 2023 is Remington College, Fort Worth.
Still haven’t found a program to suit your requirements? Search pharmacy tech schools in neighboring states: New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana
Pharmacy Tech Salary in Texas
| Average Salary | $34,290 |
| Above/Below National Average | 4.90% |
| Hourly Wage | $16.48 |
| Bottom 10% / Entry Level | $24,450 |
| Top 10% | $46,610 |
| Number Employed | 37,200 |
How much do pharmacy techs make in Texas?
The average salary for pharmacy technicians in Texas is $34,290 – this is according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2018*.
This equates to an average hourly wage of $16.48 and is almost 5% above the national average salary of $32,700.
*The most recent salary data for 2019/2020 can be found here.
Pharmacy Tech Employment in Texas
There are currently 37,200 persons employed as pharmacy technicians in the state.
The table below provides a breakdown of salaries and employment of pharmacy techs across the main towns, cities and non metro areas in Texas. Odessa, Victoria, and Killeen-Temple have the highest salary levels for pharmacy techs in Texas whilst the highest number of employment is in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington.
| Metro Area | Average Salary | # Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Amarillo | $34,420 | 330 |
| Austin-Round Rock | $35,480 | 3,110 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $34,470 | 580 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $33,390 | 390 |
| College Station-Bryan | $35,300 | 290 |
| Corpus Christi | $33,350 | 460 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $33,390 | 11,230 |
| El Paso | $33,120 | 1,910 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land | $35,070 | 9,140 |
| Killeen-Temple | $37,260 | 370 |
| Laredo | $30,760 | 170 |
| Longview | $31,560 | 330 |
| Lubbock | $33,370 | 480 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $33,710 | 930 |
| Midland | $35,240 | 210 |
| Odessa | $35,640 | 130 |
| San Angelo | $33,760 | 130 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $35,110 | 2,990 |
| Sherman-Denison | $32,360 | 140 |
| Texarkana | $31,750 | 150 |
| Tyler | $33,900 | 410 |
| Victoria | $36,310 | 120 |
| Waco | $35,330 | 390 |
| Wichita Falls | $30,870 | 180 |
Related Healthcare Programs in Texas:
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- Medical Billing and Coding Classes